Around Town and Gown

PHOTOS: The Faces of Gougler Machine

Hundreds of Kent residents worked at C.L. Gougler Machine Co. throughout the years. Do you recognize any of them?

Perhaps the most visible element of the C.L. Gougler and Machine Co. will disappear into the pages of history today. Demolition of the former factory's massive smoke stack, which has towered over Lake Street for nearly 100 years, is scheduled today for some time between noon and 1 p.m. The demolition is closed to the public. Hundreds more of the less visible yet arguably more important faces of the factory have already gone from this world, though some remain. Gougler industries was one of the largest and most successful manufacturing operations in Kent's history. At its peak, C.L. Gougler and Machine ran 10 different plants across Kent and employed 1,500 people. You can take a virtual tour of the empty factory, before demolition started …

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Matt Fredmonsky

11:31 am on Thursday, April 26, 2012

Looks like a mix of pride, confidence and determination to me.   more ›

PHOTOS: History of Old Kent Hotel

See the building in its early years

We all know what the old Kent hotel looks like now. But images from its past are few and hard to find. Thanks to the Kent Historical Society and the Kent State University Libraries Special Collections and Archives we can give you a glimpse into the building's past. Click here to see a photo gallery taken from inside the building Nov. 2, 2011.

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Historical Society Opens New Home to Public

The Kent Historical Society had its grand opening Saturday at its newly renovated location.

The Kent Historical Society christened its new home Saturday with an open house for the community. A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of the Clapp-Woodward house, the society's new museum site at 237 E. Main St., to the public. Community members were able to walk through the halls and check out the newly renovated house and new museum displays packed with Kent history. The house, built in 1883, was originally built by Marvin Kent for his nephew. It went though four owners before the historical society bought the home in December for $275,000. For tours contact the Kent Historical Society.

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Kasha Legeza

1:02 am on Monday, June 20, 2011

Love the video, Nathan -- and I'm grateful you didn't include any shots of me getting a workout playing that piano! :)   more ›

Around Town and Gown

Lamson & Sessions More Than Just Tainted Soil

Firm employed hundreds in the Kent community

A reader recently told me they thought our coverage of the ongoing cleanup at the former RB&W site on Mogadore Road has been unfair. We've primarily focused on the news element: the fact EPA officials believe a pollution containment system on the site may have failed, potentially leaching dangerous chemicals into the surrounding groundwater. But what we've not reported in-depth is the long history of successful manufacturing at the property — and how that success helped feed, house and school generations of Kent families. Manufacturing at the site dates to the 1890s, long before Lamson & Sessions bought out its predecessor, Falls Rivet and Machine Company, in 1921. Already successful, the fastener manufacturer Falls Rivet (aka Kent Machine…

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